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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25424938">I promise myself to you.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RYAN_DOES_AO3/pseuds/RYAN_DOES_AO3'>RYAN_DOES_AO3</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Grinding, I Love You, M/M, Richie is insecure sometimes, Stan is a dancer because I said so, promise rings, they’re too cute</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:40:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25424938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RYAN_DOES_AO3/pseuds/RYAN_DOES_AO3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Richie Tozier/ Stanley Uris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I promise myself to you.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
“I love you, you know that right?” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Richie paused, his heart racing as he looked over at Stan. He was putting together another bird puzzle and Richie was washing the dishes, Stan looked into the kitchen at Richie and could feel the tension coming from his boyfriend. “I’m sorry, what?” Stan asked, his mouth going dry. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Never mind, it’s stupid- i think that after these dishes I’m gonna go shower, are you gonna finish your puzzle?” Richie asked, drying his hands after putting his last dish away. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Richie?” It was a topic they danced over, being together for two years meant that they’d felt the feeling but never knew how to say it. One day Richie overheard Stan on the phone and knew he had to say it after hearing, “Sometimes I think he’s just not that into me, maybe college was our peak and he’s just over it.” Richie started taking Stan out for dinner more and complimenting him, he’d hold Stan’s hand and kiss his knuckles but it never felt like enough for either of them. “What did you say?”</p><p> </p><p>”Nothing, it was silly.” </p><p><em>“you probably don’t feel the same way.” </em>Is what Richie meant as he looked down at the wrinkles on his hands from the water, he could feel a bit of hurt in his heart but he pushed it aside. </p><p><br/>
Stan finished his puzzle and snapped a quick picture of it, putting it back into the box and sitting it on the shelf. “Do you wanna help me work on some new stretches, I’ve got dance class tomorrow at four.” Stan took ballet for fun, then he branched out into tap, jazz, acrobatics and all sorts of bendy shit. He trained like a mad man and Richie loves to go to his recitals, even though it was a bit strange watching his twenty-four year old boyfriend dance on a stage. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t think I can, I’ve got an early meeting tomorrow with my manager, next time though?” Richie offers moving to their bedroom. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>That night Richie didn’t hold Stan as he drifted to sleep, he just laid facing them opposite direction as him and curled into a ball.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>* </p><p>Then things became awkward, Stan and Richie weren’t really spending time together because Richie was so worried about what happened that night coming up in conversation. Richie didn’t like being vulnerable with his feelings, he liked to repress them and pretend they didn’t matter. His fabricated smile was his best feature. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Stan got home from work one afternoon and saw Richie sitting on the couch, he moved swiftly over to him and straddled his lap. Stan smiles as he placed his arms around Richie’s shoulders, “Hold me, I’ve had a long day.” Stan groaned, smirking when Richie wrapped his strong arms around his waist. “Make it better?” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Richie nodded and ran his thumbs over Stan’s waist, kissing his lips lightly, “Anything for you.” Richie kissed Stan’s neck, biting softly on the skin and trying to calm Stan. “You’re so beautiful, I’m so lucky to have you.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You’re just as pretty as me, I want you to know that, Rich.” Richie shushed Stan and just pressed his thumb to Stan’s lips, He gladly took the thumb between the plump lips and began sucking it lightly. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You’re always so kind and smart, you always put up with my bullshit whenever I behave like a complete asshole.” Stan whines and held onto Richie’s shoulders, he moved his leg so that it was between Richie’s thighs and he was sitting on one leg. “You always make me laugh when I’m upset and you’re always so well dressed, you never give up and you’re such a beautiful dancer.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I keep falling out of my turns.” Stan murmurs around Richie’s finger, his eye lashes fluttering on his cheeks. “I keep forgetting to point my feet and my knees aren’t straight when I do my kicks.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“That doesn’t matter to me, I think you’re magnificent and that’s all that matters.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Kiss please?” Stan whines, giving Richie a pouty face. He nods and Stan leans in to kiss his boyfriend, the warmth of Richie’s lips against his. He leaned into Richie, deepening the kiss and submitting to him with a soft moan. </p><p> </p><p>“You always sound so good for me, your moans are too pretty.” Richie says, voice deep in Stan’s ear as the smaller boy just  gives in to the light touches. Richie moves his hand up to Stan’s stomach, pulling his shirt up his chest and pressing a kiss to the soft nipples. He moved to get the shirt off of himself as Richie kissed his collarbone, biting lightly and making red marks. “I’m so happy that I get to come home to my beautiful baby boy everyday, you’re so sexy.” Richie flicked Stan’s nipples with his finger and licked at his jawline, he but some harshly and reveled in the gasps Stan made. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Is there anything else you wanna say to me?” Stan asked, looking at Richie hopefully. His heart waiting to hear those three words, <em>I love you. </em>Then Stan would get to say, <em>I love you too, Richie. <br/>
<br/>
</em></p><p>”Really fishing for compliments, aren’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>”Are you serious about me because if you aren’t, I just need to know.” Stan said lightly, his eyes ready to flood tears when he hears Richie’s answer. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Of course I’m serious about you, you’re my boyfriend.” Richie let’s out a laugh, showing that Stan’s question is ridiculous. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Never mind, I’m gonna go shower and get ready for class.” Stan moves his leg off of Richie and began to try and escape but Richie stops him with a grip on the waist, “Let me go.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Not until you’re tell me what’s wrong, come on babe?” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I just don’t think that you’re in it for the long run and I just need you to tell me what you want from this relationship, if you’re just here for someone to hold or to have and to hold.” Stan tried to put it in an elegant way but it came out silly, Richie just seemed confused. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You mean marriage, holy shit. I wasn’t planning on getting married for awhile, but if that’s what you want then I can’t promise that to you right away.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“No. That’s not what I mean, I just want to know that you’re ready for me to go full force boyfriend mode.” Stan said, standing up in front of Richie. He was shy and his heart was beating quickly, his toes were curling in his socks and his face was red. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m ready any day, seriously.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>You sure don’t seem like it. <br/>
</em>
</p><p>
  <em>*<br/>
<br/>
</em>
</p><p>The table was for two and both boys were sitting across from each other, Richie took hold of Stan’s hand and pressed a kiss to the knuckle. “You look amazing tonight, I’m happy I brought you here.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I didn’t expect this but I’m glad we’re here too, if you want sex for this, I don’t think I can put out tonight though.” Stan said, looking down at the table and pulling his hand away from Richie’s grasp. ”I’m still really sore from dance and I need to rest for the competition this weekend.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t expect sex, this dinner is for you because I care about you deeply and wanna make you feel special because I’m serious about you.” </p><p> </p><p>“You could’ve just said that in a text, you didn’t have to shower and put on a suit just to say you care about me.” Stan giggles, feeling goosebumps forming on his arms when Richie gave him an intense stare. </p><p><br/>
“I also wanted to give you something.” Richie said, reaching in his pocket.  He pulled out a velvet black box, a golden ring around it. Stan immediately could feel his heart stop, “you told me to be serious about you and I think this is almost as serious as you can get-”</p><p> </p><p>”Are you asking me to marry you?” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“No! Of course not, I’m only twenty-two, this is a promise ring.” Richie opened the box to reveal it. Golden and very thin, their were several different gems lining the top and Stan could feel his heart beating again. Richie pulled it out the box and slid it onto Stan’s thin fingers, looking at the way Stan’s eyes lit up. “I’m promising to try and be the best version of myself with you, I promise not to push you in anyway but to try to encourage you to leap for your dreams.”</p><p> </p><p>”It’s beautiful Rich, thank you so much.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You’re, uh, you’re welcome.” Richie gave a weak smile and could feel something in him crack, “you know what, fuck this.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Richie?”</p><p> </p><p>”I love you so much Stanley Uris and I wanna be with you for as long as I live, I’m so serious about you.” Richie says, his face going red as he looks at Stanley. “I’m in love with you and I forever will be.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I love you too, I fucking love you too Richie.” </p>
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